Days of Summer Past

[mishalak]

It is time and past time to prepare for winter. There isn't a hint of autumn in the air yet, the days are hot, the nights are warm, but almost all the flowers have finished blooming. Wood needs to be cut, split, and stacked so there will be enough of it when the snow flies in November. There will be cool nights long before then, but the days will still be warm until then. And we'll reverse the way we do things, opening doors in the day to let in the heat and closing them at night to keep out the chill. This evening I can hear the crickets' chorus though an open window letting in the pleasant night airs.

Earlier today I cut down a tree killed by pine beetles. Its wood was stained blue by the fungus they carry. The chainsaw made short work of it, no more than ten minutes and it fell nearly perfectly where I had aimed. Tomorrow in the cool of the morning I shall do some more. A cup of tea at sunrise and then in old black clothing I shall act as the reaper of trees. Fifty years of summer days ready to banish winter nights from one small corner of the world.

Comments

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

That's so much more poetic than my plan to burn junk mail in my dull red stove!

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Might be more environmentally friendly though... Though I wonder if sending junk mail to a landfill might be considered a form of carbon sequestering. Heh.

[cindy-reddeer.livejournal.com]

Nicely written. Love the icon too.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Thanks and thanks. I've been using this artful faded photo one as an icon a number of places and I decided that I'd finally make a version for livejournal.

[crazysoph.livejournal.com]

How... do you aim a tree?

Crazy(and boggling over concepts she's not had the chance to consider previously)Soph

PS I'll add my "nicely written!" compliments to the pile.

[cindy-reddeer.livejournal.com]

I believe (as I have never cut down a tree) that depending on where you put the first notch, you can help the tree fall where you want it to. I think there is a bit of physics involved. lol

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Yes some physics. See answer given to Crazysoph.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Pretty much how Cindy said. Make a cut at a downward angle on the side where you want to tree to fall away from. It helps if the tree is already mostly leaning in that direction very slightly or the wind is blowing that way. If the tree leans away from the way you want it to go first a notch of 1/4 of the diameter is cut out in the direction you want the tree to fall. Then proceed as usual, but with special attention to what the tree is tending to do. When it is getting close you might stop and give it a push before dashing several feet away.

Also something no one thinks of in Zombie movies. The chain saw is going to need cleaning. Ewwwwwwwww! Wood bits soak in chainsaw oil is bad enough.

[bureinato.livejournal.com]

I see that icon and think...

I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok!

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

But I'm not even wearing suspenders or plaid. (Actually that particular shirt is an old DKNY tee.)

[bureinato.livejournal.com]

But the other day you were a lumberjack, trendy T or not :)

And some worthless junk is just stuck.in.my.head.

[inqueery.livejournal.com]

T I M B E R ! ! !